The FAF AFAP Digest

Zones, Day 2

I came in a bit late this am (getting the house ready for an open house). That meant I had to warm up in the rec pool with no backstroke flags. Not ideal and perhaps contributed to some misadventures in my 100 back.

400 Mixed Medley Relay, 3:57, 100 back split, 1:02.11

We grabbed first place overall and will definitely end up high in the TT rankings. We also had two swimmers who had just swum the 100 IM, and were pretty tired. My 100 back was fraught with turn problems. They seem to be due to my stroke count from the flags changing from prior years. I'm wondering if doing a fair amount of backstroke with agility paddles has helped my pull? I've customarily taken 3 strokes and flipped. I did this on the first 25 and my feet went entirely over the gutter, no push off. A huge collective groan from my team on the side. I just started SDK-ing like mad. The second turn I took two strokes and was too far from the wall. The third turn I took 2 1/2 strokes and that worked best. But who can plan on that? I may have to work on taking 2 long hard strokes before flipping. Any other advice? That must have cost me .5+ seconds. If I had had only a decent turn, I would have had a PR; my prior best was 1:01.99 with the floaty suits. So, I was pleased with the time considering the execution problems. It's actually .3 faster than I went at Nationals last year, though I had a terrible day on day one last year for various reasons. I am hopeful I can take a second off that swim with a full taper. My splits were 29.7/32.4. I swam it 50 easy speed, 25 build, 25 sprint. I will stick to that pacing strategy at nationals. I did put in a split request for this event as well.

100 fly, 1:00.8, PR

I had a lot of rest after 100 back, which I was grateful for as that is an exhausting leg dominant event. I planned to swim the race 75 easy speed + 25 whatever I have left. The last 5 strokes were horribly painful and piano-ish. But I was thrilled thrilled with the time. I haven't swum a decent 100 fly in SCY since 2010 (1:01.3). Splits were 28.0/32.7. I can't really get these any closer without training more for this event. This is only .5 off the NR. That .5 was lost in the last 5 strokes for sure. Still, this was the end of a two day meet. I was very happy with it. It helped to have friends cheering at the end of my lane. I'm hopeful it will hold up well against nationals times. And I'm glad I got it off my plate for the season!

Women's 200 medley relay, backstroke lead off, 27.3

We finished first overall! I only had about 20 minutes after the 100 fly for this race. I did have time for maybe a 250 warm down. I thought my legs would be beyond fried for the 50 back. But they didn't feel too bad. I did feel a bit ragged the last 10 yards. But this is a great time for my 7th event over two days.

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Overall, I couldn't be more pleased with my Zones meet. This is the best one I've had in years. I usually do a more gradual rest going into a non-taper meet than I did last week. But 4 days of drastic rest really helped zap the fatigue and produce some great times.

I may start using my nose clip for all my 50s.

Feeling quite bushed at the moment. Will just do a recovery workout tomorrow.

Comments

Great meet overall! Very impressive 100 fly, considering it is a not a training event for you. I am sure you will refine the 100 back race further with the taper.

Clearly swimming 50s and 100s with maximum possible SDK works well for you. Again congratulations and best wishes for good health with awesome taper for nationals. I will not be there, but watching video if available, and monitoring meets mobile results.

Thanks Frank! I was somewhat conservative with the SDKs on the 100 back this time around. I'm going to try to take 1+ more each length at Nats. My hypoxic ability took a big hit in Feb too, and I've been working on getting it back.

How are you counting those pre-turn strokes? I take two after my eyes get to the flags, and turn over with the third. I am taller than you are, but you are a faster backstroker than I am; so I have trouble believing that you get so much less distance per stroke than I do that you can fit in three.

Thanks Jazz! Yeah, the 50 fly was my favorite event of the meet. I just saw Sue Walsh went a 24.7 in the 50 free, so I have to go faster. It was my fourth event that day, so I think I can if I hit my turn.

How are you counting those pre-turn strokes? I take two after my eyes get to the flags, and turn over with the third. I am taller than you are, but you are a faster backstroker than I am; so I have trouble believing that you get so much less distance per stroke than I do that you can fit in three.

Thanks!

Counting the same way as you. 3 strokes and then flip is perfect for my 50s where I have a very fast turnover. It apparently won't work for my 100 any longer. But 2 felt a bit short. However, I don't see much choice but to go with 2. 3 was perfect last time I swam the 100 in SCM.

Thanks Jazz! Yeah, the 50 fly was my favorite event of the meet. I just saw Sue Walsh went a 24.7 in the 50 free, so I have to go faster. It was my fourth event that day, so I think I can if I hit my turn.

Wish you had come to lunch with us!

How's the shoulder feeling?

Yes, you can get a lot faster in the freestyle, I think.

Didn't know you were having lunch or I would have

And my shoulder is feeling loose. Not sure what I'm going to do about it, but it had been almost a year since my injury at Nationals and I thought I was over this problem. Now it seems more permanent.

Yeah, practice freestyle a lot. Also, you bob on your freestyle, which means wasted energy from the pull. Not totally sure, but I'm guessing you need to soften or slow your catch and rely more on your flutter kick as the basis for your stroke. I know you have a strong flutter kick.

Yeah, practice freestyle a lot. Also, you bob on your freestyle, which means wasted energy from the pull. Not totally sure, but I'm guessing you need to soften or slow your catch and rely more on your flutter kick as the basis for your stroke. I know you have a strong flutter kick.

I have been doing more free since my shoulder has been better. Bouncing is fairly common with a straight arm free though. I do need to work on my flutter kick more. I spend too much time using long fins when swimming free. Not as good for fast feet. Maybe I need to add some slow arms fast feet drills.

Yeah, that 100 free was basically an even split when you take into account the start and dead stop. I did take it out very conservatively though. I swim this event so rarely that I'm never sure how to approach it. It's a pretty poor time when compared to my 100 fly.

Most people are faster doing sprint free than SDK. But my start is the best part of my all my races nowadays and SDK is the way to go for me. Now, I don't a 10+ off the turn like I do in fly and back yet. But I may work on that.